Sadly, San Diegans this week learned of the terrible price Junior Seau paid to become a pro football icon and perhaps the greatest Charger of all-time.

Meanwhile, the legendary -- and controversial -- 17-season career of Ray Lewis was extended at least one more week with Baltimore's 38-35 overtime victory over Denver in the playoffs Saturday.

Lewis and Seau are ranked among the 10 greatest linebackers ever to play in the National Football League in a survey of 15 national experts and sources conducted this week by the U-T San Diego. Twenty-two linebackers received at least one top-10 vote.

Only three linebackers – Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert and Lawrence Taylor – were named on all 15 ballots. Lewis and Seau were each named on 12.

Aside from possibly quarterback, no position on the football field is demanding both mentally and physically than linebacker. The 10 players on this list defended against both the run and the pass – covering backs and tight ends down the field as well as blitzing the quarterback.

All 10 had one thing in common – pain . . . both the deliverance and the receipt. “We try to hurt everybody,” Sam Huff of the New York Giants said in 1959 as the role of the middle linebacker in the new 4-3 defense came into vogue.

In fact, the 1960 CBS documentary titled “The Violent World of Sam Huff” served to promote both the NFL and the legend of the linebacker. Huff failed to make this list, although two contemporaries (Ray Nitschke and Chuck Bednarik) did.

The top 10 linebackers in NFL history:

1. Dick Butkus (Chicago Bears, 1965-73): The prototype for the modern middle linebacker, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Butkus was one of the most feared hitters in NFL history. Butkus also developed the technique of separating the ball from the ballcarrier with a ripping motion of his massive arms and hands. A five-time all-pro, the Chicago native’s career was cut short by knee injuries. In nine NFL seasons, the intimidating Butkus amassed 1,020 tackles — although he never played for a championship team. Universally regarded as the top middle linebacker in NFL history. Had 22 interceptions and 27 fumble recoveries in his career. Sacks were not an official statistic during his career.

2. Lawrence Taylor (New York Giants, 1981-1993): Regarded by many as the best linebacker in NFL history, Taylor forced offenses to change strategy and formations in an unsuccessful effort to halt his charges from the “wing” position in the Giants 3-4 alignment. The original L.T. played at 6-3 and 237 pounds. His forte was rushing and destroying quarterbacks, ripping the ball away with his “strip sack.” Rival teams went to employing two tight ends and the H-back in single-back sets to help tackles assigned to Taylor. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year finished his career with 132½ sacks and had at least 10 sacks in every season from 1984-90. In 1986, he had 20½ sacks.

3. Jack Lambert (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1974-84): Although undersized for a middle linebacker at 6-3 and 200 pounds, Lambert was the heart — as well as the toothless, menacing face — of Pittsburgh’s famed “Steel Curtain” defense. He helped the Steelers win four Super Bowls during an 11-season career. Lambert was a perfect blend of raw aggression, speed and awareness. Great range on pass defense. Lambert had the ability to cover backs and tight ends down field one-on-one as well as clogging the middle against wide receivers. He finished with 28 career interceptions and was a seven-time all-pro. Lambert was named to the NFL all-decade team for the 1970s and 1980s as well as the NFL’s 75th anniversary all-time team.

4. Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens, 1996-2012): At 6-1 and 250 pounds, Lewis might be the most physically gifted middle linebacker in NFL history. A devastating hitter, Lewis is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, a 10-time all-pro and a selectee to 13 Pro Bowls. The centerpiece of a franchise that prides itself on defense, Lewis is the only player in NFL history with more than 40 sacks (42½) and 30 interceptions (31) in his career. He forced 19 fumbles in his career and recovered 20. Lewis is credited with 1,573 tackles. Lewis was also the MVP of the Ravens’ 2001 Super Bowl win. However, a year earlier Lewis was implicated in the deaths of two men during a fight at a Super Bowl party. Lewis was indicted on charges of murder and aggravated assault, although those charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.

5. Junior Seau (San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, 1990-2009): We learned this week that the pounding of 20 NFL seasons resulted in Seau suffering from the brain disease CTE, which is believed to be a contributing factor to his suicide last year. The 6-3, 250-pound Seau was one of the game’s hardest hitters. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 and the AFC Player of the Year in 1994. Seau was a eight-time all-pro and was selected to 12 Pro Bowls. Great range and speed as an outside linebacker. His 1,849 career tackles included 56½ sacks. He also had 18 interceptions and 21 pass deflections in his career. He had 100-plus tackles in six straight seasons (1991-96) with the Chargers. Perhaps his strongest skill was his ability to run down backs for losses on sweeps and passes out of the backfield. He’s one of only two linebackers on this list who played for more than one team.

6. Jack Ham (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1971-82): Spent most of his career playing alongside Lambert in the “Steel Curtain” defense. The 6-1, 225-pound Ham was a technically brilliant outside linebacker who established new standards for covering tight ends and backs on pass routes. Once clocked as the fastest Steeler for the first 10 yards, Ham used his speed to cut off receiver angles. He had 32 interceptions in his career and was credited with 25 sacks, although that was not an official statistic at the start of his career. He had two interceptions against Oakland in the 1974 AFC championship game. He was an all-pro in each of his first six NFL seasons and was selected to eight Pro Bowls. Ham was voted to the NFL’s 75th anniversary all-time team.

7. Mike Singletary (Chicago Bears, 1981-1992): The ruthless Singletary was the focal point of the 46 defense created by Buddy Ryan. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Singletary helped the Bears overload the line of scrimmage in an effort to blow up plays before they could begin. Singletary made 10 straight trips to the Pro Bowl in his 12-season career. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1988. Led by Singletary, the 1985 Bears went 15-1 and routed New England 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. Nicknamed “Iron Mike.” Singletary has had a successful second career as one of the NFL’s top defensive coaches, although he was only 18-22 as the head coach of the 49ers.

8. Ray Nitschke (Green Bay Packers, 1958-72): A contemporary of Sam Huff, the 6-3, 225-pound Nitschke was the personification of the physical and mental toughness displayed by the Packers of Vince Lombardi. With Nitschke anchoring the middle, Green Bay won five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowls. Nitschke’s trademark tackle, known as the “forearm shiver,” was eventually banned. Nitschke was the MVP of the 1962 NFL championship game (two fumble recoveries and a tipped pass). During one Packers practice, a set of bleachers collapsed on Nitschke with a spike piercing his helmet. Nitschke immediately returned to practice — while the helmet with the spike went to the Packers Hall of Fame.

9.Chuck Bednarik (Philadelphia Eagles, 1949-62): The 6-foot-3, 233-pound Bednarik was the last of the full-time, two-way players in the NFL. He played center on offense and middle linebacker on defense. He missed only three games during a 14-season career (that was actually a 28-season career by today’s standards). A 10-time all-pro, Bednarik led the Eagles to the 1949 and 1960 NFL titles. Bednarik was considered one of the more devastating tacklers in NFL history. Bednarik’s blind-side, chest-high, 1960 hit on Frank Gifford sidelined the Giants running back for more than a season with a “deep brain concussion.” Straight out of high school, Bednarik flew 30 missions over Germany in World War II as a highly-decorated B-24 waist gunner.

10. Ted Hendricks (Baltimore Colts, Green Pay Packers, Oakland-Los Angeles Raiders, 1969-83): The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Hendricks moved from being a defensive end at the University of Miami to an outside linebacker slot in the NFL. He played in 215 straight regular season games and played on four Super Bowl winners. A four-time all-pro pick, Hendricks is a member of the NFL’s 75th anniversary all-time team. Hendricks holds the NFL record with 25 blocked kicks. He had 26 interceptions and is credited with 60½ sacks, although the statistic didn’t become official until the final two seasons of his career. Thanks to his height, Hendricks is also credited with knocking down 95 passes during his 15-season career.